Fisherman&#39;s chair



Jan. 18, 1966 A. SOKOLIS FISHERMAN'S CHAIR 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1965 INVENTOR Albert Sokolis 7&

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Jan. 18, 1966 A. SOKOLIS FISHERMANS CHAIR Filed Jan. 11, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 niwuilwii A mg,

INVENTOR Albert sok u FIG.6.

United States Patent 3,230,006 FISHERMANS CHAIR Albert Sokolis, 302 Bens Drive, Chatham, ill. Filed Jan. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 424,524 7 Claims. (Cl. 297-493) This invention relates to a fishermans chair, and more particularly to a foldable fisherman chair, and has as its primary object the provision of an improved light weight chair of this character which may be folded for ease and simplicity in carrying and storage.

An additional important object of the invention is the provision of such a chair which is provided with an integral refrigerated storage compartment and a tackle box.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a chair of this nature which may be conveniently stored in an automobile trunk or the like in such manner that the ice chest remains upright, and other articles may be stored around it without disturbing the contents of the chest.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, comfortable in use, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construc tion, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there are shown preferred embodiments of this invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the fishermans chair of the instant invention shown in position for use.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the chair of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. 7

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the chair as shown in FIG. 1, the carrying position thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the chair folded in storage position, an alternative storage position being indicated in dotted lines.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a detail of construction taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 a viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a fragmenatry view of a modified form of back construction for the chair, and,

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 9--9 of FIG. 8 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the chair of the instant invention generally indicated at 10 is comprised of a base frame generally indicated at 11 which is preferably comprised of a single piece of tubular aluminum preferably of rectangular construction which is folded to provide a central front bottom piece 12, side front legs 13, side top pieces 14, rear legs 15, and a bottom rear piece 16, as shown best in FIG. 1. The tubing of the frame is creased as at 18 at the corners to facilitate the bending thereof.

The base frame serves as a support for a box-like receptacle generally indicated at 20 which includes a front wall 21, a rear wall 22, a bottom wall 23, and side walls 24. Receptacle 20 is provided with a top generally indicated at 25 which also constitutes a seat for the fisherman. The top includes a bottom metal sheet 26 which is hinged "Ice as by hinges 27 to the top of rear wall 22 and which has secured thereto a rigid sheet 28 which supports a layer of padding 29, which is covered by a layer 30 of leatherette, plastic or other desired material.

In the assembly of the device the ends and sides of the leatherette covering are reverted as at 31 beneath the sheet 28 and clamped between sheets 28 and 26, the assembly being held in position as by means of screws 32, which also serve to hold a layer of insulating material on the inner side of sheet 26. The front, rear, side and bottom walls of the receptacle are also provided with sheet insulation 33, so that when the cover is down the entire assembly serves as a chest which may contain ice for the refrigeration of fish, or bait, or any other desired material, such as cold drinks for the fishermen.

A pivoted latch member 35 having an operating tongue 36 is contained in a receptacle 37 secured to the under side of sheet 26, and engages a detent 38 on front wall 21 to hold the seat and cover in closed position.

A sliding drawer generally indicated at 40 is secured beneath the receptacle 20, and includes a bottom wall 41 and front and rear walls 42 and 43, which are reverted as at 44 and 45 respectively and thence bent outwardly at 46 and 47 to provide flanges for the reception of a tray 48 which is suitably partitioned as at 49 to provide a tackle box. The drawer also includes side walls 50 to which are riveted as by means of rivets 51 elongated strips 52 which have reverted spaced ends 53 as best shown in FIG. 7. The bottom wall 23 of receptacle 20 also has secured along its side edges strips 54, which have downwardly extending flanges 55 which are upwardly reverted as at 56 to provide tracks which engage with the reverted portions 53 so that the drawer is linearly slidable beneath the receptacle. FIG. 7 also discloses that the side edges of bottom 23 are upturned as at 2311 and secured to the side walls by means of rivets 57. The front wall 42 of drawer 40 is provided with a knob 60, which has an inner projection 61 which engages with a spring latch member 62, as best shown in FIG. 3 carried by the bottom wall 23 of receptacle 20.

Transverse bars 65 extend between each front leg 13 and its adjacent rear leg 15 and have pivotally secured thereto as by pivots 66 the ends of a U-shaped back member generally indicated at 67 and including side members 68 which are provided with obtusely angled bends 69, and connected at their upper ends by an integral bight 70. Bight 70 is bent rearwardly out of the plane of the back member 67 and has secured thereto, in one embodiment of the invention, the ends of vertical canvas or leatherette strips 71. As best shown in FIG. 4 the ends are doubled as at 72 on the rear section of bight 70 and secured in position by metal screws 73. The lower ends of the straps 71 are similarly secured to a cross-bar 74, which is rearwardly ofiset relative to the plane of the back. Transverse strips 75 are interwoven with the vertical strips 71 and their ends are secured in a similar manner to the side members 68.

FIGS. 8 and 9 disclose a modified form of back construction which may be substituted for the strips 71 and 75. In this construction the upper portion of the members 68 and the bight 70 are covered by a strip of canvas 77 or the like which carries a layer of padding 78 and a solid outside layer of leatherette or similar material 79, the ends of which are reverted as at 80 and secured by screws 81 to the members 68. Screws 82 may be initially provided for holding the canvas or other backing sheet to the supports. A solid back is thus provided if desired, which, by virtue of the padding layer 78, may be more comfortable to certain individuals.

A leg frame generally indicated at 85 is also provided. Back legs 86 are connected at their lower ends by an integral back leg bottom piece 87, the back legs being pivoted as by pivots 88 to the back member 67 at points adjacent the bends 69. Links 90 are connected by pivots 91 and 92 respectively to the lower portions of rear frame legs 15 and back legs 86.

The position of the chair when in normal use is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. When it is desired to carry the chair, the bight 70 of back frame 67 is tilted forwardly to the position shown in dotted lines, with the lower portions of the members extending vertically, and the back legs 86 being inclined inwardly with the bottom back cross member 87 engaging rear legs 15, so that the device is compact and may be carried in a substantially vertical position,by means of either the bight 70 or the cross bar 74 whichever is more convenient.

FIG. 6 discloses in full lines one of the storage positions of the device, wherein the device is raised from the ground, and the back member 67 moved downwardly to substantially horizontal position. In this position the rear or back cross member 87 clears the bottoms of front and rear legs 13 and 15, and extends forwardly of the front of the device. When storage is desired under the back member 67, the entire assembly is lifted to the dotted line position shown so that the back extends horizontally from substantially the mid-section of the device.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved fishermans chair combined with a tackle drawer and an ice chest which may be readily adjusted to carrying position or one of two storage positions with a minimum of effort and difiiculty, and which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A fishermans chair comprising a one-piece tubular base frame bent to form front and rear legs, side top pieces and front and rear bottom pieces, a receptacle carried by said frame, a hinged top on said receptacle forming a seat, a substantially inverted U-shaped back member having its ends pivoted at intermediate points between the front and rear legs on each side of said base frame, a U-shaped back leg frame having its ends pivotally connected to intermediate points of the legs of said back member, and links pivoted at their opposite ends to intermediate points of said legs and the legs of said back leg member, the length of said back leg member being suflicient when the chair is lifted from the ground to extend beneath said front and rear bottom pieces and forwardly of the front of said receptacle to be moved to a horizontal storage position.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said receptacle is lined with insulating material to provide a refrigerated storage space.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the bottom of said cover is provided with an insulating layer.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said cover is padded and covered with a layer of flexible material.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein reverted side flanges.

are provided in the under side of said receptacle, and a tackle drawer is slidably mounted in said flanges.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said inverted U- shaped back frame member is provided with interwoven flexible strips at its upper end to form a back surface- 7. The structure of claim 5 wherein said inverted U- shaped back frame member is provided with a padded back surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 200,309 2/ 1965 Sokolis 297192 690,103 12/1901 Parish 297--192 X 815,046 3/1906 Sherman 297- 188 1,722,074 7/1929 Chapleau 297--193 2,264,744 12/1941 Dunham 297-192 X 2,544,896 3/1951 Nidetch et a1. 297193 X 3,000,667 9/1961 Dryden 297--183 X 3,026,141 3/ 1962 Welles 297-192 r 3,099,482 7/ 1963 Woodrutf 297--193 3,114,574 12/ 1963 Pryale 297--193 3,128,137 4/1964 Dokter 297--192 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FISHERMAN''S CHAIR COMPRISING A ONE-PIECE TUBULAR BASE FRAME BENT TO FORM FRONT AND REAR LEGS, SIDE TOP PIECES AND FRONT AND REAR BOTTOM PIECES, A RECEPTACLE CARRIED BY SAID FRAME, A HINGED TOP ON SAID RECEPTACLE FORMING A SEAT, A SUBSTANTIALLY INVERTED U-SHAPED BACK MEMBER HAVING ITS ENDS PIVOTED AT INTERMEDIATE POINTS BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR LEGS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID BASE FRAME, A U-SHAPED BACK LEG FRAME HAVING ITS ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO INTERMEDIATE POINTS OF THE LEGS OF SAID BACK 